Lifting via FEL vs 3 point? Maybe I've looking at it wrong thinking I NEED a FEL?

[RalphVa]

When you cut things down "like butter; you say", get yourself a Buckthorn Blaster dauber. Fill it with concentrated Roundup and apply to the stump right after cutting. Thing will not come back applied June-Feb.

Ralph

 

[MechanicalGuy]

Not gonna comment on the price range, but if you want trees to go by by forever, get a pirahna bar for the bucket and pop those roots up and gone real easy.

 

[rademamj1]

MechanicalGuy: You recommended using the Piranha Bar on the FEL bucket? Does this really work using the Piranha Bar to "pop out" stumps? Can you give short detailed description of the procedure or process.

The reason I ask, is that i usually grind all stumps 3" and bigger to below ground level. They are no longer an issue. But this leaves me with lots of small stumps 2" or smaller remaining above ground, which is a major threat to mower blades.

 

[LD1]

Yep, $5 grand is the issue.

In terms of modern stuff...last two decades.....a 30-40HP tractor with loader will probably do all you need, up to the 1000 pounds.

2500# pallets....assuming you have to unload off a truck or trailer that limits you to front loader. And thats gonna take 50-60hp machines.

But being dry.....wanting to do dirt work and lifting primarily....have you considered a skid loader?

 

[i7win7]

MechanicalGuy: You recommended using the Piranha Bar on the FEL bucket? Does this really work using the Piranha Bar to "pop out" stumps? Can you give short detailed description of the procedure or process.

The reason I ask, is that i usually grind all stumps 3" and bigger to below ground level. They are no longer an issue. But this leaves me with lots of small stumps 2" or smaller remaining above ground, which is a major threat to mower blades.

Too late for existing stumps

 

[rScotty]

For what it's worth, the following 3 implements can be used on the 3pt. Boom pole (engine hoist), dirt scoop (poor mans fel/bucket), Box Blade for land leveling. Even harder to find is used 3pt forklift (not forks, something that lifts). A FEL with forks requires one of the larger compact tractors. Or one of the "regular" tractors from the 60-80's era before they started making them lightweight. Kubota loaders use a numbering system where # is approximate lifting power at the curling pin in kilograms. ex. LA545 should be around 500k or 1100 lbs at curl pin, subtract weight of forks, distance from curl pin, around 700lbs estimate on usable lifting weight.

An 50 year old tractor should handle your needs nicely Tractor House website or magazines will help you decide what you need and approximate selling prices. Tractordata.com will allow you to research the tractor/fel specs. Good luck on your search.

Yep, I agree. For around $5000 he should be able to get a nice older Ag tractor in the 35 to 50 hp range that will do just what he needs. In the exact same situation, my choice was a JD530 (with power steering!) with a reversible cat. II 3pt dirt scoop (known as a Poor Man's FEL). The tractor still works fine half a century later. We even eventually replaced that 3pt dirt scoop with an original thousand doller FEL from the tractor junkyard that bolted up and still works fine. Total investment was well under $5000.

But there's no need to go back that far. Look at the JD 2010s through 4020s from the late 60s and early 70s. And later series all the way up to about 2004 or so. Some of the older ones are gas. Equally good tractors were made by Massey and Ford - and others too. Those worn out but usable Ag tractors are rarely advertised for sale...after all, they only cost abot 10K new. you have to go out to a small town and look around. Expect to be surprised when you find out that farm tractors from the mid 1960S and up for the next 40 years - which will do everything you want and fit your budget - will actually be less expensive than the smaller "collectible" tractors like the Ford 8N and Massey T20/35 which are even older....AND which WILL NOT do nearly as much.

Most farmers will have a trailer or know where to borrow one so you can haul it home. I expect that you are a decent mechanic. For that price you will expect to do neglected maintenance and tune up....but a oldr ag tractor should be basically sound.

Here's a picture of the 3pt dirt scoop we are calling a "poor man's FEL". The lifting capacity of the dirt scoop on the 3pt of the 33 hp JD Ag tractor is about a ton. You can also scoop in fwd or rev. Dumping is manual.

Luck, rScotty

 

[sandman2234]

You sometimes see 3ph forklift masts for sale. Except for having to be turned around, this is the natural choice. It's where a tractor should be carrying the weight anyways. On the heavy rear axle, and the robust driven one on a 2WD.

I bought a 1989 JD2555 (for less than his budget) and bought the carriage from a couple of forklifts, mounted 3 point pins on them and it will outlift the FEL on my Kubota M7040 as far as weight. The issue with it is being able to pick up something high enough to put it in a truck bed or get it out, but a low trailer solves that problem. Things not on pallets can be hoisted with a 3 point boom pole. I like the idea of using the whole forklift mast to get the height needed to put things in a pickup truck. A "LiL' Joe" is a pull around forklift that actually would make a great donor for a 3 point mast. It is a shame that the original poster (Bad Decisions) lives so far away, or I would make him a package deal on most of what he needs for his budget.
Seems if I can find the tractor in Florida, one should be found a little closer.
David from jax

 

[LouNY]

Many of the 50-65 HP ag tractors in 2wd will have as much traction in 2wd as most of the sub compact and compact modern tractors.
The Allis D-17 and up, the Oliver 1500 and up, the International (Farmall) 656 and up, as well as the Massy and Whites and Fords will do every thing the original poster and ones in decent shape are available for under $5000.
I would recommend the row crop versions and not the utility versions, many of the utilities you are sitting a straddle the transmission and hydraulic reservoir which will get uncomfortably hot in the summer up over 160 F some times when worked hard and long.
Also even though they are lower to the ground climbing on to them and then having to twist and turn getting set down gets more and more difficult as the years go by.

 

[MechanicalGuy]

MechanicalGuy: You recommended using the Piranha Bar on the FEL bucket? Does this really work using the Piranha Bar to "pop out" stumps? Can you give short detailed description of the procedure or process.

The reason I ask, is that i usually grind all stumps 3" and bigger to below ground level. They are no longer an issue. But this leaves me with lots of small stumps 2" or smaller remaining above ground, which is a major threat to mower blades.

All I do for small stumps 3" or less, mostly I've done a bunch of 2" stumps, just put the corner of the pirahna bar right at the base of the stump at a sharp angle, under the ground about 2" or so, and drive the tractor forward, curl the bucket upward or lift straight up. "Pop" out comes the root ball. Done it dozens of times on privet, pine, and other root balls. Works way better than my grapple.

The bar is sharp and the v-sections funnel the root into them and the sharp bar won't let go of the root.

 

[rademamj1]

Thanks so much for that short but detailed summary on small stump removal. I also found some videos on Utube which documents exactly your procedure.

I have an estimated 45 stumps, about 3" or less that need removal. I just flag them with a pole to avoid mower damage and really need to remove them. I just found the "wicked bar" online from Everything Attachments, and will order one for my bucket.
Much Appreciated!